A Harry Potter Christmas
by Jelp
Summary: Harry's just not in the Christmas spirit. How's he suppose to get into the holiday spirit when he had no family to share it with?


I don't own Harry Potter. He and the other characters belong to Ms.  
Joanne Kathleen Rowling. 

**A Harry Potter Christmas**

Harry walked out on the grounds to go and visit Hagrid. He trudged through the snow, feeling slightly out of the Christmas  
spirit. Ron and Hermione were both away for the holidays. Hermione had had to go home to visit her grandparents, and Ron had gone home for his first Christmas away from Hogwarts since he started there for a Weasley reunion Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were hosting. They had graciously invited Harry to come and stay for the holidays, and as much as Harry had felt compelled to go, he would've felt awkward with Ron's family.

Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, glad to be with someone who could empathize how it felt to not have any family to spend Christmas with.

"Come in then!" Hagrid smiled through his tangled beard.

"Thanks Hagrid." Harry smiled back and entered the hut. He petted Fang as he came and licked at Harry's hand. Harry suddenly  
wondered what Sirius Black was up to now. He hadn't heard from him since his birthday.

"You should be looking happier. Christmas is tomorrow." Hagrid said as he walked over to get something off of his table.

"Guess I'm not in the Christmas mood."

"Anything new?" Hagrid asked while offering Harry some Christmas cookies. Harry considered the question and the cookies  
(which were a dark brown, but still looked like they could be edible). Harry responded to the question through a mouthful of burnt but not ill tasting cookie.

"Not really. I'm the only one in the common room. It's rather odd being so alone there. Last year nearly everyone stayed for the Yule Ball. This year it seems so, I dunno, quiet."

"Is there summat the matter with the quiet?"

"No. I guess I'm not used to it at Hogwarts. I mean, with the Dursleys, I can go weeks without them including me in a real conversation. They may say something like, "fix the bacon," but not much else."

"Well, you'll have the Christmas feast to look forward to." Hagrid said brightly. Harry smiled.

When Harry finally left Hagrid's hut a half an hour later, he felt considerably more cheerful. He ate a good Christmas Eve  
dinner before retiring to his corridor. Harry stretched out onto his bed. Harry took out the photo album of his parents that Hagrid had  
given to him at the end of his first year. He flipped to a picture of his parents, smiling and waving to him while hanging ornaments  
on a Christmas tree. His good mood vanished as an onslaught of guilt weld up within him. What if he had never been born? His parents might still be alive. Voldemort had come after him, hadn't he? If he had never been born, then maybe they would still be alive.

"I wish I had never been born." Harry whispered to himself. "I should never have existed." He wished with everything inside of  
himself that he had never been born. He lay down on his bed only to sit straight back up again. He heard a strange noise coming up  
from the stairs. Before Harry had time to move, a ghost came through the door.

"Cedric?" Harry asked incredulously upon seeing the form of his friend. "You're, you're a ghost." Harry managed to stutter.

"Just for tonight. Harry, I heard what you said about wishing that you had never been born. You don't really wish that." Cedric smiled at him.

"If I hadn't been born, you wouldn't have been killed by Voldemort." Harry stated sadly. Cedric just shook his head.

"What you never knew was that my parents and I were also among the people that Voldemort was looking for. If you hadn't had  
been born, I'm sure he would have found my family, and I wouldn't have had the chance to live past the age of three." Cedric retorted. Harry just sat on his bed, with his mouth slightly agape. "You will be visited by three spirits tonight. They will arrive each hour, on the hour, starting at one. Good-bye Harry, and thank you." Cedric turned and began to disappear though the door.

"Cedric wait!" But it was too late. Cedric had already vanished from sight.

"Three spirits?" Harry wondered aloud. He shrugged as he laid down in bed, wondering if he had been dreaming. Harry heard the  
clock in the common room strike one. Groggily he looked around the room. Not seeing any spirit, he decided he must have dreamed Cedric coming and talking to him. No sooner had he laid his head down onto his pillow, Harry felt a hand on his shoulder gently shaking him awake. Harry nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Mum?" Harry whispered. Lily Potter smiled as she leaned down and hugged her son. Harry grasped onto as she hugged him.

"Are you a spirit? How come you're solid?" Harry wondered.

"I'm not quite sure how to answer your second question, but to answer your first question, yes, I am a spirit, and in fact, I  
happen to be the first spirit." Lily said as she wiped a tear from Harry's tear streaked face.

"We're going to see Christmases of the past." She took out a time turner, placed the chain around her and Harry's necks, and  
then turned it around sixteen times. Harry felt like he was flying backwards at an incredible speed as his corridors vanished into  
darkness. Suddenly he and his mother were standing in a remarkably familiar living room.

"This is our living room!" Harry exclaimed as he recognized the living room from the picture. Harry turned to see a man coming  
down the stairs. Harry realized that the time turner that she had took you back every year for each turn, un-like the one that Hermione had that took her back one-hour for each turn.

"Dad?" Harry smiled as he went to embrace his dad. Harry went to hug him, but he was pulled back by his mother.

"We are invisible to them, and they can not hear us because of a spell I cast, but that does not prevent us from being solid.  
Remember, you can not be seen in this time." Lily chided. Harry nodded his head, looking at his father while holding his mother's  
hand. Feeling grateful to have at least her back. He was amazed when he saw his mother from this time walk into the living room.

"Why so gloomy?" The Lily of the past asked. It was then that Harry finally noticed how sad his father had looked.

"We've been trying for five years...I had hoped that we would have had a child by now. I guess Christmas just reminded me of that." The Lily of that time walked over and hugged him.

"You should be enjoying this Christmas. It's the last time we'll have Christmas all to ourselves." She took his hands and  
placed them on her stomach. "I'm pregnant." Lily from the past and the one from present smiled. James Potter looked about ready to faint. Harry grinned widely as he watched his father hug his mother.

"You see?" Lily asked him, "You were our joy Harry." She stroked his hair lightly.

"I wish I could remember you both better." Harry sighed. Lily took out the time turner again and turned it in the opposite direction four times. Harry watched as the living room vanished.

Lily and Harry arrived in the living room of number Four Privet Drive, where he lived with the Dursleys.

"How in the world could the Dursleys be glad that I was born? They hate me." Harry tried explaining to his mother.

"I suppose that you don't remember Vernon's mother do you?" Lily asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Grammy Dursley?" Harry asked, barely remembering the woman who had died when he was three.

"Yes. She really liked you. Just watch." Harry watched on puzzled as a three-year-old Dudley waddled into the living room,  
opening all the presents underneath the tree. Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, his sister (Aunt Marge to Harry), and Mrs. Dursley.

"Where's Harry?" Mrs. Dursley asked.

"He's sleeping in his cupboard." Aunt Petunia said, but Harry saw her eye twitch slightly.

"I don't think that you should let him sleep while Dudley is opening his presents. Harry should open his too." She said. It was  
clear that the three other grown-ups could not over-rule her. With a grunt, Uncle Vernon got off of the sofa and went and unlocked Harry from the cupboard.

Harry and Lily watched as little Harry opened his presents, which included a cheap and beat up little stuffed dog, a toy that came from inside a cereal box, and a crayon and piece of paper.

"Thank you." Little Harry smiled, oblivious to the complete unfairness of his toys. Uncle Vernon looked over expectantly at his mother. She didn't say anything about his lack of presents.

"I don't understand." Fifteen-year-old Harry confessed. Lily smiled as she took out another time turner, and turned it twice.

Harry could tell that it was the same day as he saw his three-year-old self sitting playing with his pitiful gifts. Mrs. Dursley sat in a chair nearby. The other Dursleys were no where to be seen or heard.

"Harry," Mrs. Dursley said gently. Little Harry stopped coloring a picture of the stuffed dog.

"Yes?" Harry wondered.

"Come sit on my lap." Harry looked at her, as if considering if her orders were sincere, and climbed up on her lap.

"Harry, do you know I'm not Vernon or Marge's real Mommy?" Mrs. Dursley asked pleasantly. Young Harry shook his head no while the other Harry's mouth dropped open. "I was working for the Misuse of Magical Objects when I found them." Harry was sure that he was going to faint.

"I received a call about a cursed book killing off two muggles. Do you know what muggles are?" Little Harry again shook his head no.  
"I didn't think you would, but you will. Anyway, the book had killed Marge's and Vernon's parents. Well, my husband and I, he himself was a muggle, couldn't have children, so we took them in." Mrs. Dursley sighed. "I don't know where I went wrong with them. They are some of the biggest muggles that I have ever seen. But I'm so proud that Harry Potter came to live with my son. I'm sorry about the way that they treat you, but at least now I can feel like I accomplished something by talking them into keeping you. You're going to be a great wizard someday. Do you understand me?" She asked. Harry again shook his head no. She laughed and kissed his head. "Go play with your toys." Harry smiled and jumped off of Mrs. Dursleys lap.

Lily turned to Harry from the present. "Do you see how you helped her?" She asked.

"Nope." Harry replied perplexed. He was still trying to register the fact that Uncle Vernon's mother had been a witch.

"Think of it. Her own son hating witches and wizards when she was a witch. She thought that he would grow to love you like his  
own," Harry snorted, "and that he would accept her. She died two months later, but she had her faith in you that you would change his mind about wizarding folk." Harry thought he understood what she was getting at. Lily took out the year time turner and turned it eight times. Harry felt that he was starting to get used to time turning traveling. Harry was exasperated to see himself in a strange house.

"Where are we?" Harry asked as he looked around the house that obviously belonged to wizards: the people in the portraits  
were moving. Now that he thought of it, the house looked more like a mansion than a house.

"We're at the Malfoy's house." Lily said calmly.

"What?!" Harry gaped. "I could understand that the Dursley's might have tolerated me, but the Malfoy's down right hate me! All of them." Harry told her incredulously.

"We're not here to see the Malfoys." Realization dawned on Harry.

"Dobby." He whispered.

"Exactly. The little house-elf that has always believed in the famous Harry Potter." Lily led Harry to the kitchen. He saw Dobby in his filthy, ugly pillow case. Harry felt sorry for the poor house-elf that admired Harry so greatly.

"Masters...no...masters...they can't...they...bad..." Dobby banged his head against the side of the counter. He seemed even more uptight than Harry remembered when he was under the Malfoys bidding.

Narcissa Malfoy walked into the kitchen. She put her finger into the soup that Dobby was making. She made a terrible face.

"This isn't fit for us. This would only suit that horrible boy, Harry Potter." With that, Narcissa left. Dobby looked at the soup. Harry was sure that Dobby would pour the scalding liquid onto himself in punishment. It surprised Harry when Dobby smiled.

"The soup is good enough for Harry Potter." He smiled and only added more spices to the soup.

"See Harry?" Lily said proudly. "Even the mere mention of your name brought Dobby hope." Lily looked at Harry and gave him an enormous hug.

"I'm so proud of you." Lily kissed him on the forehead and put the time turner around his neck and turned it four times.

Harry found himself laying on his four poster bed back at Hogwarts. He looked around for his mom.

"Mum? Mum?! MUM?!" No one answered Harry. Harry looked down at his hands. He wished she could have stayed longer. Just then, the clock struck two.

"Why so glum?" A rich voice asked. Harry looked up, and felt almost as if he was looking into a mirror.

"Dad!" Harry exclaimed as he embraced his father.

"Are you ready to go?" James asked his son. Harry nodded. James pulled out some powder that Harry recognized immediately as  
Floo Powder. "We'll have to use the fire place in the common room." James and Harry walked down the spiral staircase and walked in front of the fire.

"Shout, 'the Burrow!'" James instructed. Harry smiled. They were going to see Ron. Harry took a pinch of the powder and shouted, "The Burrow!"

Harry felt himself whizzing through the magical highway. He stepped out of the Weasley's fireplace, coughing, but none of the  
Weasleys seemed to notice, and there were quite a few Weasleys. Harry's eyes darted through the sea of red hair until he spotted his friend Ron. James came out of the fireplace, dusting himself off.

"Over towards Ron." James directed Harry to where Ron was talking with his twin brothers.

"Why so down?" Fred asked cheerfully.

"I think someone spiked the eggnog." George hiccupped.

"Most eggnogs contain alcohol." Ron told him, eyeing his brother as if he should have known that.

"Ah. ::hiccup:: Want some?" George offered Ron the glass but accidentally spilt it onto Fred. "Whoops." The twins started laughing as they headed up the stairs.

"Why is Ron so down?" Harry asked his dad.

"Harry, has Ron ever talked about any of his friends before he came to Hogwarts?" James prodded.

"No." Harry replied slowly.

"Did it occur to you that you are not the only one that did not have many friends before Hogwarts? Ron's so miserable because  
you are one of his best friends, and he's so used to having you to talk to and hang around with."

"Ron has plenty of friends. What about Hermione?" Harry questioned.

"Harry, you were the one that talked Ron into going and getting Hermione from that mountain troll. Wasn't Ron the one who said something to make her go into the bathroom in the first place? Harry, if it hadn't been for you, Ron and Hermione probably would not have been friends."

"I'm sure that they would have found someone else to be friends with." Harry said pointedly. James sighed heavily.

"I'll show you more proof." Harry followed James to the fireplace. "Shout "Sevilla!" for our next stop." James handed Harry some more Floo Powder.

"Sevilla!" Harry yelled as he stepped into the green flames that licked around him. Harry dusted himself off as he walked  
through the new entrance. James followed shortly after. They stood in what looked like a hotel lounge. People chatted merrily

"Where are we?" Harry asked.

"Sevilla." James winked.

"Well, I kind of figured that. I guess the question is, why are we here?" Harry corrected himself.

"We're here to see Hermione." James pointed to Hermione as she sat emerged in a book. Harry recognized Hermione's parents, and  
what could only be Hermione's family. Harry looked over at his dad as they walked towards where Hermione and her family were. He smiled to himself. This Christmas he got to spend with his own parents. Harry and James arrived just as a plump girl with bushy brown hair walked over to Hermione.

"Well if it isn't Hermionarian the librarian." The girl sneered. "I haven't seen you in years. Still always reading. It's obvious that you read because you have no friends. Everyone knows it too. I can't imagine why Mommom and Poppop insisted that you come to Christmas this year. No one can stand you. Not even your own parents can stand you. That's why Aunt Emma and Uncle Danny had to send you away to that stupid boarding school." She gave a smirk. Harry felt outraged that Hermione's cousin treated her so cruelly. Hermione, on the other hand, smiled.

"It seems that you have not been informed. I happen to have plenty of friends at my boarding school. My friends there are very popular." Popular? Harry thought to himself. James looked over, and if he was reading Harry's mind brought up the topic.

"You are popular." James smiled.

"Famous maybe, but not popular. There is a difference." Harry stated.

"No, you're popular. I mean, after all, your flying on the quidditch field is quite impressive." James smiled, and Harry felt himself glow with pride at getting such praise from his father.

"You certainly have grown a back bone. It sure did take you long enough." Hermione's cousin "humphed" and walked away.

Hermione smiled and started to read again. Harry saw that she was reading _Hogwarts A History_.

"How many times is she going to read that book?" Harry muttered to himself.

"See? Hermione-"

"Wouldn't have any friends if it weren't for me? I really doubt that." Harry prompted.

"No, I was going to say that you three really have a close relationship. You're lucky to have them, and they're lucky to have you." James smiled and patted Harry on the back. "This way."

"Where to now?" Harry asked his dad.

"Shout, "Hagrid's hut!" this time." James instructed as he handed Harry more floo powder.

"Hagrid's hut!" Harry was getting used to the spinning as he spun around through the fire and arrived at Hagrid's hut. Hagrid  
looked like he was hastily getting ready a Christmas luncheon. It actually looked delicious compared to the lumps of charcoal that Harry was used to.

"Hagrid didn't say anything about having company for lunch on Christmas when I talked to him today, rather yesterday." Harry said out loud.

"He got a message Christmas morning saying he was getting some company. You can tell that he's glad to have it. He hasn't had a real Christmas lunch with anyone other than the staff since he got expelled from Hogwarts. Can't you see how happy he is? And look, his  
guest has arrived." Harry watched as Hagrid responded to the person knocking on the door. He was amazed to see himself walk into the small hut.

"Happy Christmas Hagrid!" Harry heard himself say.

"Happy Christmas Harry." Hagrid smiled back. Hagrid busied himself around the room with the luncheon. Harry watched as his  
other self turned towards the fire place where he and his dad stood, and then winked.

"You may not be able to see us, but you know we're here." Harry tried to figure out exactly what his dad had told him when Hagrid started talking.

"You don' know how much you coming here means. I ain't had a proper Christmas with anyone 'cepting the staff. Thanks for coming here." Hagrid gave Harry a twinkling smile.

"I had a hint you might like my company." Harry winked over towards Harry and James again.

"Time to leave." James handed Harry more floo powder.

"The Gryffindor common room!" James yelled, going first this time. Harry followed his example.

"The Gryffindor common room!" Harry bellowed as he was once again swept away. As he stopped spinning, Harry found himself  
sitting on his bed. Harry heard the clock strike three.

"Okay, Mum was the spirit of Christmas past, Dad was the spirit of Christmas present, and if this is following the Charles  
Dickens's story "A Christmas Carol" then I'll be visited by the spirit of Christmas future. I wonder who that will be?" Harry mused out loud to himself.

"That would be me." Harry heard a voice say. Harry turned to his right to see a woman with auburn hair standing next to his bed.

"Who are you?" Harry asked puzzled. The woman smiled.

"My name is Joanne Rowling." Joanne said.

"Ms. Rowling, are you the spirit of Christmas future?" Harry wondered. She shook her head.

"No. I'm not even from you world. We're going to see my world, and how you've helped the children there." Joanne explained.

"I don't understand. If I'm not from your world, how can I have helped children there?" Harry asked confused.

"One day while I was riding on a train, I had a glimpse into your life. I have recorded down bits and pieces of your life. The  
children in my world have gotten so much from reading your story." Joanne took Harry's hand and they disappeared. Harry was amazed to find themselves flying through the air without brooms.

"Where are we?" Harry asked as they flew to a house. A boy and his mother sat unwrapping Christmas presents on the floor. They  
looked so happy together. Harry could feel the happiness coming from the mother and son. Harry was amazed to see the boy give his mother a Harry Potter book.

"We're in North Carolina. This is where a boy named Michael lives. He and his mother lived in terrible conditions. However, they  
read your story, and it has changed their lives for the better. They, like many other people, have been able to draw hope from your  
story. Do you know how important your story is?" Joanne asked. Harry shook his head.

"Your story has inspired thousands upon thousands of kids to read. Children everywhere can relate to your story. You were a  
nobody, or so you thought, and you turned out to be an incredible wizard. Do you realize how many children want to be you?" Joanne smiled as Harry found himself blushing at her blunt compliment. "And don't even argue with me." Joanne said as Harry was opening his mouth to argue. He clamped it shut again and smiled.

"Harry, I don't think you will ever realize just how much you have helped people. There are many who are glad that you were born. So many that the other people factor does not even begin to measure up to those who are glad that you were born." Joanne gave Harry a hug, before sending him back to his common room.

Harry woke Christmas morning with a start. He remembered the nights events and wondered if they were real. Even if they weren't, it didn't make a difference. He had a refreshing sense of belonging and of having a purpose. He opened the gifts from his friends which  
included a Quidditch poster book from Ron, a hair styling kit from Hermione, a book on Phoenixes from Hagrid, a magic practice shooter that had a little box that shot curses so that you could practice their counter curses, a Weasley sweater and some homemade sugar cookies, and one small package wrapped in gold with a card on top. The card read, "Do not open until 6:00 PM." There was not signature. Harry shrugged, and pocketed the small object into his robes.

Slowly Harry walked to the Owlery. He got Hedwig to deliver a message to Hagrid to ask if it would be alright if he had lunch  
with him. Next, he enlisted the help of two school owls to deliver messages to Hermione and Ron, just wishing them and their families Happy Holidays. Hedwig returned shortly with a note from Hagrid.

_Be at me hut at noon.  
- Hagrid_

Harry's morning was uneventful. He arrived at Hagrid's hut at noon exactly. He knocked at the door to see Hagrid's smiling face look down at him.

"Happy Christmas Hagrid!" Harry said.

"Happy Christmas Harry." Hagrid smiled back. Hagrid busied himself around the room with the luncheon. Harry turned towards the  
fire place, and winked. He could sense his dad's presence, as well as his own. Hagrid turned to talk to him.

"You don' know how much you coming here means. I ain't had a proper Christmas with anyone 'cepting the staff. Thanks for coming  
here." Hagrid gave Harry a twinkling smile.

"I had a hint you might like my company." Harry winked over towards where he and his father could be standing. Harry had a great  
time with Hagrid as they discussed Christmas memories. Harry didn't leave until it was well past five. He walked up to his dormitory  
when he remembered the gift that he had yet to open. He waited until the clock downstairs chimed six o'clock exactly.

Harry opened the gold wrapping. Inside it was a time-turner and a note. "Turn this back sixteen times. Say Dumbledore sent you."  
The note was not signed, but Harry recognized the loopy handwriting. He smiled as he turned the time-turner back. He had a feeling he knew where he was going.

As Harry expected, he arrived in his parent's home.

"Hello." His father greeted, looking at him puzzled.

"Dumbledore sent me." Harry said.

"Oh yes. I just didn't expect you to be able to apparte yet. Well, come on in, and make yourself at home. Dumbledore said that we  
would enjoy having you for Christmas, and explained that both of your parents were killed by Voldemort." Harry nodded and tried to  
pretend that he knew what they were talking about. He listened to everything that they said. This wasn't a dream; they weren't spirits  
or ghosts; they were real. His parents talked to him about anything and everything. Harry felt like he was finally with a real family;  
he felt like he finally belonged, and most of all he felt glad to have been born.

* * *

Okay, kinda corny. Well, I hope you liked it anyway. - Jelp


End file.
